Commercially available arrangements for coupling light signals into an optical waveguide have a laser diode for emitting light signals, and also a microlens, which focuses light signals emitted by the laser for coupling into the optical waveguide. In order to obtain high transmission rates and a high coupling efficiency, such micromodules usually make use of edge emitting lasers that emit light signals parallel to the surface on which they are fitted.
In order to enable coupling into an optical waveguide in a vertical direction, the light signals of the edge emitting laser are deflected from a horizontal direction into a vertical direction through a prism arranged in the emission direction of the laser. A microlens is arranged and fixed on the prism such that its imaging region is arranged in the beam path of the light signals deflected by the prism. The light signals are focused by the microlens and coupled into an optical waveguide.
There is a need for an electro-optical arrangement for coupling light signals into an optical waveguide which, given the same transmission quality, is more cost-effective than the arrangements known hitherto.